5 Things to Look for in Selecting a Cabin

What’s the best cabin location on the ship? I get asked this a lot.  How can you make sure you pick the best location in your chosen stateroom category?  The truth is, it depends on your likes and needs.

One of the best ways to find the right cabin for you is to view the ship’s deck plans in the cruise line brochure or website.  While the plans may not be exatly to scale and cabin size is not always in proportion to the drawings, there are a few things to keep in mind. Knowing the surroundings will help you avoid a less-than-ideal stateroom.

Here are the top 5 things to look for in cabin selection:

1) Look for elevators and staircases:  Some people want to be close to the elevators and staircases. However, with the convenience of elevators and stairs comes a higher volume of traffic and possibly more noise.  What is more important to you?

2) Look up:  What’s above your cabin?   A basketball court, jogging track, the kid zone.  If you have children, having the kids’ zone above you, might not be a bad idea. However, if you are a honeymoon couple, this might not be the best location for you.

3) Look Down:  Is the bandstand for one of the show lounges right below your room?  Even with good sound proofing there is a chance for ambient noise.

4) Look across the hall: Is there a room service pantry shown or other service area.  If so, this might be an area you want to avoid.

5) Look right and left:  If you are at the end of a hallway, make sure the disco or other high-energy lounge is not adjacent. Unless you are a night owl, you’ll want to avoid hallways that lead to these lounges.  Late night revelers can carry on with the partying outside your door. If you are an early-to-bed person, you might want to choose another location.

Today’s modern cruise ships have been designed with passenger comfort in mind.  Architects strive to develop deck plans that confine public rooms and lounges to areas far from the staterooms.  Advance review of the deck plans and advice from a good cruise specialist can help deliver an extra measure of peace and quiet in your stateroom.

Have you ever booked a stateroom that was an oops? I’d like to hear more.

Thinking about a cruise visit: http://www.lifesrudder.com/

Create memories and not regrets.

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How to Get the Best Cruise Vacation Deal

Make it happen

Have you always wanted to do something, but then never pursued it?  Maybe it stayed in your mind and eventually became a vanishing thought. 

I’m working on a postcard campaign (Yes. Snail mail.) for a big band riverboat cruise, on the Mississippi River.  I researched, received the information, and then it sat on my desk because I didn't know which way to go.  A couple of days later and a follow up call, I had a team together to execute the campaign. I could have designed the postcard myself and it would have been time consuming and costly.  In working with people who know what they are doing, I now have a top notch, cost-effective, professional piece!

Have you always wanted to take a cruise?  Here are some ways to get the best value to make it happen.

Should I wait to book my cruise?

Well that depends on you. Do you have the luxury of traveling at the last minute? If not, contact your local cruise agent and book well in advance. This will assure you the best cabin at the best rate available. That doesn’t mean the cruise rate won’t change (I've seen rates increase after bookings.), but if you are dealing with a good agent, they will guarantee to change your rate if the cruise line adjusts the prices prior to final payment.

When is the best time to travel?

If you are traveling to any exotic port, there are usually softer booking periods in which pricing can be hundreds of dollars lower. For example, if you are sailing to Alaska – book in May or September and your savings will be substantial. Caribbean is dirt cheap in the fall – it’s so inexpensive, it’s almost free. Well, maybe not, but it can be less than $100 dollars per day which is cheaper than staying home. Again, choose a reputable, knowledgeable agent who can guide you to these savings.

How do I find the best cruise deals?

Ask your travel agent if they send out weekly specials. Most competent agents send out a weekly e-mail promotion. This will give you a heads up when they have special cruise deals. In other words, agents regularly have access to cruise line promotions that include: shipboard credit, cabin category upgrades, reduced payment deposits, coupon booklets for onboard savings, and even free gratuities. But you will miss the deal, if you don’t know about it. 

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Have You Ever Cancelled a Trip?

You’ve spent months planning the perfect family holiday vacation.  You tell yourself- “we’re going no matter what!” That “what” suddenly becomes little Johnny running a high fever of 105 days before your departure.  Then, you get sick.

Sound familiar? It’s funny because I am guilty of just that type of mentality- the days of “oh nothing’s going to happen before we go” are totally over.  Anything can happen.

Recently, I met a gentleman who wished he purchased the travel insurance.  He and his family were on a cruise.  His teenage son fell and cut open his head.  The cut to the forehead, at the hairline, wasn’t too bad but they decided to make a visit to the ship doctor to check it out.  Stitches and $500 later, they were back to their vacation.  The insurance for this cruise would have been around $80.

-People get sick

-Accidents happen

-Hurricanes hit

-Floods occurs

-Resorts get damaged

-Your lovely boss needs you to stay to help with a company merger

-Or worse, you get terminated

All these and more are reasons to buy Travel Insurance. For the small cost of my trip investment I get: peace of mind, protection against the unexpected and reassurance that I will not lose my financial investment. For fractions of what you invest in a trip from planning to actual cost, travel insurance is worth it.

Check out some of the things that travel insurance will cover:

·       Your baggage is lost or damaged.

·       You're involved in an accident and adequate medical treatment is not available. You need medical evacuation. 

·       You need to cancel your trip due to illness.

·       Your cruise line, airline or tour operator goes bankrupt. You need your non-refundable expenses covered and to get to your destination.

·       You have a medical emergency in a foreign country.

·       A terrorist incident occurs in the city where you’re planning to visit and you want to cancel your trip.

·       A hurricane forces you to evacuate your resort, hotel or cruise.

·       You are called for jury duty.

 Why did you have to cancel a trip?

For additional information on travel insurance, click here. 

Cruising Disney

Tips from Disney Cruisers

Pixie dust, princesses and pirates make a great vacation.  Read what others have to say to make your Disney cruise experience even better.

Greg B.

Resist the temptation to drop the kids off in the A.M. and leave them there 'til midnight. Take them to the stage show. They will love it!

Amy R.

Online Registration: 
Register online when you are able to (A couple months in advance of your cruise). Also do the kids' club registration online.  Print out all registration info and take it with you. If there is a line for the kids' club registration in the port terminal, do not wait in it. By pre-registering online, all you need to do is take your paperwork to the kids' club on the ship and turn it in.  They will give the kids' their Mickey Bands (kids' club ID's/tracking devices) within a couple of minutes. My kids LOVED the kids' club on the ship and at Castaway Cay.  Definitely take advantage of it!

Clothes Pins: 
Bring clothes pins to hang wet bathing suits and cover ups in the bath tub/shower.

Candy/Snacks: 
I bought several boxes of "movie candy" before we left.  Snacks are available to buy at Preludes during the show, but they are expensive.  If you don't bring snacks, grab some cookies or chips from Flo's Cafe before heading to the show.  These are free. You can also order cookies from room service. Mickey Bars (ice cream Mickey Heads covered in chocolate) are free through room service even though they are not on the menu. You can also get Mickey Ear Bars in the restaurants for dinner! 

Alcohol/Bottled Water: 
If you plan on buying drinks on board, you may want to pack your own liquor, beer, or wine.  Disney lets you bring as much as you want in your carry-on luggage.  It can’t go in your checked luggage.  If you take a bottle of wine to dinner, they will charge you a corking fee.  You do have a small refrigerator in your room to keep it cold!

$1 bills:  
If you plan to order from room service, bring an envelope of ones to use for tips.  Everything through room service is free, but you have to tip.

Pirate Night: 
Disney has a family themed pirate show with Mickey and Friends at 7:45.  Pirate fireworks start around 10:30 with a pirate show (Captain Jack, etc.). Everyone gets a Mickey Pirate Bandana, but take other pirate gear if you have any.  I also took "glow" necklaces and bracelets for my girls.

Rich P.

The pool deck of the Fantasy is amazing (with movies on the big screen, great pools, and the Aqua Duck), but the deck surface gets unbearably hot.  You’ll want flip flops for the whole family.

If you have a large family, consider getting two connecting ocean views over one family stateroom.  We got one family stateroom on deck 10 for our family of 5. We used our veranda a couple times. It was a nice room but tight.  My brother is going in a couple weeks and got 2 connecting ocean views.  His kids will have a separate room and he is spending less money.

Try a different boutique bar every night.  There are many small and beautiful bar spaces around the ship.  Make sure you get around to see them.

Go for cruises longer than 3-4 days.  It takes most folks a few days to settle into ship life.

Have the ship's photographers take a lot of pictures of your party and buy the digital photo package (you get all photos on a disk).  You just spent a lot for a great cruise--get those pictures!

If you've got great vacation tips to share, click here.

To request additional information or to secure your voyage on Disney, please click here.

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Create memories and not regrets.

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Reflection of Royalty

Reflection of Royalty

Celebrity Reflection

Who doesn’t like to be treated like royalty? Especially on vacation.  My dream trip takes me away on a 7-Day Caribbean Cruise on Celebrity’s newest ship, Celebrity Reflection. It leaves out of the Port of Miami, on December 8, 2012.

Celebrity Cruise Lines loves to pamper, engage, and renew passengers.  With that in mind, I booked a Royal Suite (590 sq ft, veranda: 158 sq ft).  I thought about booking the Reflection Suite with the fancy, cantilevered, glass-walled shower.  (During the day, a person can shower and look out over the ocean.  Reflective material keeps others from looking in. There’s a switch that turns on a fogging function, which offers privacy at night.)  However, the Reflection Suite accommodates 6, and I only need accommodations for 2.  Maybe next time.

My trip begins on December 7, 2012, with a pre-night cruise stay at the Trump International Beach Resort, in Miami, http://www.trumpmiami.com/, (Junior Suite Ocean View). I like to arrive in a city a day or two before I leave on my cruise so that I can wake up refreshed, relaxed, and ready for my cruise.

On December 8, I board Celebrity Reflection.  Since I booked the Royal Suite, I receive priority check in and am one of the first ones to board.  What a beautiful ship and what a thrill to be one of the first people to cruise this magnificent vessel.  

Itinerary:

Day 1 Embarkation

Make Speciality Dining Reservation at Blu (subject to availability)

Massage (This is my favorite way to start a cruise.)

Whirlpool on my private veranda...Ooo-la-la!

Day 2 Sea Day

Painting class (maybe the Master Artist can offer tips for my stick figures)

Lounge by the pool

Dinner at Blu (speciality restaurant)

Day 3 San Juan, Puerto Rico

Shore Excursion: Bioluminescent Bay Kayak Adventure (SJ36)

Day 4 Philipsburg, St Maarten

Shore Excursion: 4x4 Beach Escape (SMB9)

Day 5 Basseterre, St Kitts

Shore Excursion: Caribbean Cooks (KT60)

Day 6 Sea Day  

Lounge by the pool

Enjoy The Lawn Club Grill (First-hand grilling techniques)

Day 7 Disembarkation

Other Royal Suite perks include: 

Fresh flowers

Daily in-suite espresso and cappuccino

Daily fresh fruit platter

European trained butler service (Oh, if I could put him in my suitcase and take him home...)

It’s the last night of the cruise. I open the floor-to-ceiling glass doors that lead out into my private verandah. Once again, I feel the light, ocean breeze against my face.  I relax in the whirlpool one last time.  I look out across the vast ocean.  The waves lap against the ship. The moon and stars create their own light show.  This must truly be a Reflection of Royalty.

(Oh, no!  Whoever is in the Reflection Suite with the outside, all-glass shower...they forgot to flip the fog switch.)

Celebrity Cruise Lines’ newest ship, Celebrity Reflection’s 9-night inaugural European cruise sets sail on October 12, 2012.  Cruise Ports include: Depart from Amsterdam, Netherlands; Bruges,(Zeebrugge), Belgium; Paris (Le Havre), France; Gijon, Spain; Vigo, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Barcelona, Spain.

To request additional information or to secure your voyage on Celebrity Reflection, please click here.
What's your destination?

Create memories and not regrets.
Janelle Woodyard

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Final Post on The American Queen-Ohio River

Diary of a Traveler on the American Queen: Last Entry

By Janelle Woodyard

The 2012 inaugural voyage on the American Queen, up the Ohio River, from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh  has come to an end. My luggage is unpacked and the laundry is done. I've caught up on my emails, phone calls, and errands.  I also just finished posting my pictures to Pinterest http://pinterest.com/woodyardj/american-queen-ohio-river/.

Stats:
- 471 miles
- 12 locks
- 5 states (Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania)


I guess I turned into a steamboat history fanatic because I'm fascinated by the stories of The Mississippi Queen, The Delta Queen, The American Queen, and even the Sultana.

I can't wait until my next destination.  I wonder where I will go next!  As my husband says, "Make memories, not regrets."

To book your group voyage on the American Queen or any other cruise, click here.

Diary of a Traveler on the American Queen--Day 5

Diary of a Traveler on the American Queen---Day 5

American Queen Steamboat Company
By Janelle Woodyard

Beautiful people! That's who I saw and meet during my voyage on the American Queen. Beautiful smiles! Beautiful personalities! Beautiful attitudes! To only name the few people that I came in contact with would be like only mentioning the pitcher of a championship baseball team. It takes a great team to achieve greatness! Everyone from the Purser's Desk, to the boutique personnel, to the dinning room staff, to the bar tenders, to the entertainers, to the people behind the scenes...everyone pitched in to do their part to make sure passengers had a memorable experience.


Wheeling, West Virginia was our port today. The City of Wheeling arranged shuttle service to the Wheeling Island Casino. There were also hop on-hop off stops at several local establishments and museums. After several days of touring the cities on the bus, I finally figured the best way to utilize the tours. Every city had a tour guide that would come onto the American Queen buses. My first time on the bus, instead of getting off at the first stop, I stayed on until the bus made the loop around the city. This allowed me to hear the tour guide's complete story. The second time around on the bus, I hopped on and off at the various stops.


One of the most beautiful sights to me in Wheeling was the suspension bridge, built in 1847. The bridge spans over 1,000 feet and is the oldest vehicular suspension bridge in the United States. 






One of the experiences I enjoyed on the boat was the classic sound of the calliope. A calliope is a musical instrument that produces sounds by sending steam through whistles.



As the American Queen departed, Jason Bell, (graduate of the University of Memphis in Piano Performance and pianist with the steamboat Synchopators) played the calliope. As Jason played, the sounds of the calliope reached the shore and filled the hearts of the town folk with pride. How do I know this? Because people literally stopped what they were doing in order to catch of glimpse of this beauty.

I had two food highlights today. The first was a steak cooked to order by Chef Unza, on a grill, at the River Grill (an open-air type venue). I'm keeping an eye on Chef Unza. I believe one day he's going to be on the Food Network Channel. This steak was cooked to perfection and then, I had the enjoyment of eating it, while I cruised up the Ohio River. And yes, the scene was accompanied by a gentle breeze and the sound of the water rushing through the paddle wheeler. 

My other food highlight was the creme brulee. Oh my! This was truly the best creme brulee I've ever eaten. The texture was creamy. The glazed sugar on the top was perfect. Not too crisp. Not too crunchy, but just right. It was also adorned with a slice of strawberry. I savored every bite of this baby, and I ate it exceptionally slow because I wanted it to last. When I took my last bite, the most amazing thing happened. Another creme brulee appeared in front of me and...well...I had to eat that one, too. 




For me, my voyage on the American Queen was more than a cruise. It was truly an all- American adventure (Literally!). I had the opportunity to cruise on a steamboat paddle wheeler with amazing people. In speaking about the river, Jerry Hay says, it is, "a place of rest, a place of power, a place of kindred spirits, a place of adventure." Tomorrow, I disembark the American Queen, but this experience will always be with me.


For additional information on cruising the American Queen, contact Janelle at janelle@lifesrudder.com.
www.lifesrudder.me